Philippine Scene #1 - Ice Skating in the Philippines

Bored of the heavy rain outside the Mall of Asia, the third largest mall in the region, I became curious of the yelling and the whizzing sounds that emanated below the mezzanine of the mall.

Right there before my eyes was the indoor skating rink, where all sort of ice skating enthusiasts were perfecting their form in order to enjoy this winter sport.

No so long ago, when athletes of this tropical country, Philippines, also eye for joining winter sports, like in figure skating.

Now,with the help of technology, as the ice maker turn the court into an artificially ice-laden environ, ice skaters pay their entrance fee and try their level of ice worthiness on ice skating.

Amusement enveloped me as I observed different kinds of scenario inside the skating rink. Excluding myself, or maybe I've been imaging that I was one of them, I was able to distinguish the newbies or amateurish moves from the professional athletes practicing during that rainy afternoon (October 12, 2011).

I've seen ice skating coaches teaching those athletes (from children to adult) execute their routines.

You can laugh at some maritime students starting to wobble their feet as their skating shoes were awkwardly positioned on ice.

I know , you'll be laughing at me when I pay for my first venture on ice skating. But allow me to share with you those recorded scenes on this hub.

Tropical islanders of this country are dreamers of Winter Christmas. Well, it's not so dumb to realize one of this dreams, at the skating rink.

Before indulging on this kind of ice sport, as in figure skating, speed skating or just ice skating, a beginner or an athlete should know the basics of the discipline, the attire and apparels needed coupled with the strong will and desire to excel.

It's somewhat expensive owning a pair of skating shoes and other gadget in order to perfect the game. It's also expensive when you sustain series of injuries during your competitive life in this sport.

I'm not a self-confessed guru on this kind of winter sports, but I'm joining the wagon of Filipinos that are interested to know ice skating better. It's not only the sport for the wealthy ones but even ordinary people can afford this by just frequenting the public skating rinks at the malls.

People always pause, cluster or compress in order to watch children skating, teenagers getting dozes of cold ice bumps and matured people rekindling their interest on how to live in a snowy environment, for a while.

It takes courage to follow the step-by-step procedure on how to skate as you enter the skating rink.

Just don't be afraid to ask someone who works at the skating rink about the do's and dont's inside the area.

As you hear the yell of the coach on how to put your hands on your lap, taking a dip position, and push yourself in order to advance, accept the fact that you will fall.

Ice frost and scratches will be just an ordinary hitches if you want to excel in this field.You can have a BIG laugh if you see me joining the beginners afraid of moving their feet while trembling holding one of the railings of the icy oval.